Author:
Eilertsen Mari Heggernes,Kongsrud Jon Anders,Tandberg Anne Helene Solberg,Alvestad Tom,Budaeva Nataliya,Martell Luis,Ramalho Sofia P.,Falkenhaug Tone,Huys Rony,Oug Eivind,Bakken Torkild,Høisæter Tore,Rauch Cessa,Carvalho Francisca C.,Savchenko Alexandra S.,Ulvatn Tone,Kongshavn Katrine,Berntsen Cassandra Mari,Olsen Bernt Rydland,Pedersen Rolf Birger
Abstract
AbstractLoki’s Castle Vent Field (LCVF, 2300 m) was discovered in 2008 and represents the first black-smoker vent field discovered on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge (AMOR). However, a comprehensive faunal inventory of the LCVF has not yet been published, hindering the inclusion of the Arctic in biogeographic analyses of vent fauna. There is an urgent need to understand the diversity, spatial distribution and ecosystem function of the biological communities along the AMOR, which will inform environmental impact assesments of future deep-sea mining activities in the region. Therefore, our aim with this paper is to provide a comprehensive inventory of the fauna at LCVF and present a first insight into the food web of the vent community. The fauna of LCVF has a high degree of novelty, with five new species previously described and another ten new species awaiting formal description. Most of the new species from LCVF are either hydrothermal vent specialists or have been reported from other chemosynthesis-based ecosystems. The highest taxon richness is found in the diffuse venting areas and may be promoted by the biogenic habitat generated by the foundation species Sclerolinum contortum. The isotopic signatures of the vent community of LCVF show a clear influence of chemosynthetic primary production on the foodweb. Considering the novel and specialised fauna documented in this paper, hydrothermal vents on the AMOR should be regarded as vulnerable marine ecosystems and protective measures must therefore be implemented, especially considering the potential threat from resource exploration and exploitation activities in the near future.
Funder
Norges Forskningsråd
Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen
Trond Mohn stiftelse
Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
University of Bergen
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Reference94 articles.
1. Pedersen, R. B. et al. Discovery of a black smoker vent field and vent fauna at the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge. Nature Commun. 1, 126. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1124 (2010).
2. Dick, G. J. The microbiomes of deep-sea hydrothermal vents: distributed globally, shaped locally. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 17, 271–283 (2019).
3. McMullin, E. R., Bergquist, D. C. & Fisher, C. R. Metazoans in extreme environments: Adaptations of hydrothermal vent and hydrocarbon seep fauna. Gravit. Space Res. 13, 2 (2007).
4. Sogin, E. M., Leisch, N. & Dubilier, N. Chemosynthetic symbioses. Curr. Biol. 30, R1137–R1142 (2020).
5. Kiel, S. A biogeographic network reveals evolutionary links between deep-sea hydrothermal vent and methane seep faunas. Proc. Roy. Soc. B Biol. Sci. 283, 20162337 (2016).